Abstract
Survival prolongation was studied in rats which were hemodiluted to a hematocrit value of as low as 7, 4, or 1% by stepwise exchange transfusion, alternating bleeding through the artery and infusing a perfluorochemical (FC) emulsion into the vein, with the combined use of oncotic agents taken into consideration to maintain the circulating plasma volume, and the following results were found : (1) Plasma expander (PE) was indispensable to the use of FC emulsion for the survival of exchange-transfused rats. As an oncotic agent to be combined with FC emulsion, homologous plasma and 6% hydroxyethyl-starch (HES) solution were better than dextran in rats. (2) At the exchange transfusion with FC emulsion+PE, totaling 1.2 times the volume of blood eliminated, survival effect was better at a ratio of FC emulsion to PE of 1 : 3 than 3 : 1. (3) Supplementary infusions of Fluosol-DA (an improved FC emulsion made isooncotic with 2.7% HES) carried out after the exchange transfusion at intervals of 24 hr were effective in prolongation of survival.
